The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a compiled report from the Director General of Police (DGP) over rape and molestation by policemen.
Acting on a complaint by rights campaigner Subash Mohapatra of Bhubaneswar-based Global Human Rights Communications, the apex rights body has sought a processed and compiled report from the DGP within four weeks covering details of all such cases which occurred during the period of one year starting from October 2012.
Through its proceedings of April 15 of the year 2014, the NHRC had directed the DGP to submit a consolidated report on the subject.
“The needful has not been done till date, and individual reports are being sent to the commission by the SPs of the districts concerned. Now, the Odisha DGP is again directed to submit a consolidated compilation of the cases which occurred during the period of one year starting from October 31, 2012,” the NHRC directed in its latest order.
Further, the rights body took note of the noncompliance of the order and categorically said that the SPs should not send the individual reports and directed to follow specific prescribed format of the NHRC.
“It is a pity that law keepers are found involved in serious gender crimes such as rape and molestation, and the context is that the police department is kept under direct portfolio of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. law should take its own course, as always stated by the Chief Minister. Why the report is not submitted on time as required by rights bodyIJ The State should come clean by reporting what stringent actions have been taken against the policemen who are charged with the crimes against women and girls,” Mohapatra said.
Mohapatra has stated in the petition that 44 incidents of rape and outrage of modesty of women by policemen were officially registered between 2009 and 2013.